Simply amazing! Love that you get to walk through the fort underground and love the views. The tea…read morehouse is overlooking the water. The volunteers are a wealth of information.

Free admittance with a free guided tour through the castle - and in my opinion although smaller,…read moreBarryscourt is way better than Blarney. Our tour guide was excellent and very informative. The castle has been (and continues to be) restored so you get to see each floor as it might have been not just stone rooms without floors like at Blarney. There's a lovely small garden and an orchard within the walls. Close to Fota House and Gardens this is an excellent stop while you're in the area and you can make a full day out of it by also visiting Fota. Fota Gardens and Arboretum are also free.

BARRYSCOURT CASTLE Paid my first visit in decades to…read moreBarryscourt Castle, an impressive relic of the 16th century court of the Barry family. Impressive enough as a stark ruin in the 80s but now it's much improved and well worth a visit, particularly since there is no charge at all, and that includes the guided tour of the interior. Time was short yesterday so we contented ourselves with a walk around the outside of the castle itself, through the herb garden and a large orchard. There are records of an orchard there since the 13th century and this one, with dozens of apple varieties, is laid out according to the 16th century manner. There are smaller plantings of pears and quinces. There is an information office with very helpful and friendly staff, toilets and a cafe and it is just off the main national road (N25). It is a very pleasant visit indeed and I'll be back for a longer stay, perhaps during Heritage Week which takes place in venues across the country from August 21st. Most events are free to enter, some have reduced charges. This is one of many available. See the Heritage Ireland site http://www.heritageireland.com or pick up the comprehensive National Heritage Week brochure at your local library. http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/South-West/BarryscourtCastle/ Tel: +353 21 488 3864

MYRTLEVILLE Myrtleville village, close to Crosshaven, has a…read morehorseshoe shaped beach and it quite popular. Called there in mid-week and a handful of people (the schools had re-opened) were enjoying themselves. It is a small sandy beach and looked quite clean. There is no car park there and you have to find a place on the roads. But there is no shortage of parking at the popular Bonny Connellan's Bar/Restaurant which is just up from the beach. Quite a lot of cars there that afternoon - maybe a wedding reception in progress.

A lovely little cove like something out of a Famous Five story. A good place to see seals too.read more

DRAKE'S POOL You will pass Drake's Pool, a scenic part of…read morethe estuary, on the road from Carrigaline to Crosshaven. There is a car park nearby so you can stretch your legs and take in the pleasant view of the historic spot. Apparently, in 1589 or thereabouts (you will see other dates, though 1589 is the one on the nearby commemorative plaque), Sir Francis Drake (1540-96) was being pursued by elements of the Spanish Armada who chased him into Cork Harbour. But the Spaniards didn't have the local knowledge and sailed past the Crosshaven estuary and up towards the city instead. They missed Drake and his handful of sheltering ships and sailed out again. The relieved Englishman allowed a few days to elapse before venturing back to the open sea. It must have been a nervous time but today the location is all about relaxation, plenty of seats around the modest tree lined "pool" and many pleasure craft bobbing at anchor with not a care in the world.

I think the most interesting thing about Ireland are the ancient relics that are still standing:…read moreeither alone off the beaten path, or alongside more contemporary structures. The Grange Stone Circle in Lough Gur, located in a field off of R512, is the former, and it is definitely worth visiting if you are near Limerick. It is the largest ancient stone circle in Ireland and dates to the late Neolithic/Bronze Age. It had a ritualistic purpose and the center aligns to the sun during the summer solstice. To consider that some of the stones were brought from 3 miles away is just astounding, as is the understanding that this site dates to 2,200 BCE. To think of the ancient peoples that walked here so long ago is certainly astounding! The stone circle is definitely an impressive site to behold! More information can be found here: http://loughgur.com/destination/the-stone-circle/

Bigger around than Stonehenge The diameter of the upright…read morestones is 45 meters (148 feet) The diameter of the capped stones at Stonehenge is 33 meters (108 feet)

PROMENADE COBH The promenade in Cobh is where many locals…read moreand quite a few visitors come to take it easy and to do a bit of people watching. Seats for the older folks and a play area for the young ones. Great views out over the harbour, regularly visited by huge cruise ships, and back into the town itself where St Coleman's Cathedral dominates. Water flows in fountains and there are sculptures, some amusing, some serious. What more would you want? Maybe some music. Well, there is the bandstand and, regularly, at weekends, the band plays. Oh to be in Cobh when the sun shines.

CARRIGALINE-CROSSHAVEN WALK…read more This 5km walk, 10km return, is quite a pleasant one, with the estuary at your side all the way from outside Carrigaline to outside Crosshaven, not centre to centre. You may start at either end and there is also a car park at, approximately, halfway. The path, shared between bikers and walkers (dogs on leads are welcome), is tarmac all the way and there are quite a few seats if you need a break or if you want to picnic. It is laid out over an old railway line, is very clean and popular.

Highly, highly recommend adding this to your Cork bucket list! The reading tour is 10 euros; I…read morebelieve the audio tour was 15 euros. We got to tour the prison grounds and learn about life in the prison, all while doing the reading tour. It was very eye opening, but very informative as well.

I know it's unfair to compare this to other jail tours in Ireland but it's really hard not to. The…read morearchitecture was gorgeous but the history was all quite surface level. I do appreciate them trying something different in tackling the stories of the jail and its prisoners.

MILLENNIUM GARDENS…read more To commemorate the millennium, the Port of Cork constructed a garden and a short walk at its lands along the river in Tivoli. The walk is quite short with fine river views; it may be extended by walking up the Lower Glanmire Road as far as the new Railway Bridge from where there are fine views of the city. There are two entrances to the facility. Coming from the west, walk through the gate just before the "skew" bridge. Otherwise, use the Silversprings fly-over to access the eastern gate. There is limited car parking there. It is a pleasant spot. Aside, from the river views, you have a variety of shrubs, trees and flowers (hydrangeas and fuchsia are prominent now in late August) and some sculpture. There is no shortage of seats, so you may bring your book or newspaper and give yourself a short break in the fresh air. Enjoyed the stroll today. It is a handy park for residents of the nearby houses and apartments and even guests of Silversprings Hotel and guest houses in the area could well enjoy a walk here.